Out Of Nowhere

Tom’s soccer teammates Jake and Roger are the ones who caused the fight on the bus in Chapter 6. Aware that the two have a reputation for causing trouble, Tom is relieved that their fight doesn’t make the news. To address the incident, the school organizes small group sessions with anti-hate crime experts, focusing on racism and cultural differences. Saeed and Cherisse are in Tom’s group along with other Somali and American students.

During introductions, a Somali student’s mention of liking goat meat leads to confusion and disrespectful reactions from Cherisse and her friend Devon, who are then asked to leave. The group’s discussion then deepens into Somali culture, exploring the derogatory use of the term ooji used by urban Somalis to put down rural Somalis who are members of traditional clans. Tom learns from Nasra, another Somali student, that the bus fight started because Jake and Roger used Somali curse words, amusing the urban Somali kids but angering the rural Somali students, illustrating divisions within the Somali community.